16 fabulous restaurants in Hong Kong, from roast duck to dim sum
Eating out is a serious sport in Hong Kong: locals are spoilt for choice and will queue for any restaurant – provided that it’s new and trendy. At the same time, decades-old establishments are revered for keeping traditional flavours alive. Whether you fancy a casual meal at a family-run restaurant or Michelin-starred cuisine, it’s difficult to have a bad meal in this city. From retro dim sum parlours to seafood shacks on outlying islands, discover the restaurants you can’t miss in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Island
Lung King Heen at Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong
As far as Chinese restaurants go, Lung King Heen has a trumps-all claim to fame: it was the first one in the world to be awarded three Michelin stars, a rating it has retained. It's a spectacular treat – and it has a wonderful cross-harbour view. During the day, natural light is reflected off the mirrors and glass, which somehow adds to the food's beautifully simple presentation. The roast pork will be the most mouth-melting you'll ever taste; the unusual combination of fried puntalette with minced beef in X.O. chilli sauce is also highly recommended.
Contact: 00 852 3196 8880; fourseasons.com
Opening times: Mon-Sat, 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm; Sun and public holidays, 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-10.30pm
Nearest metro: Hong Kong Station
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ￡￡￡
Best table: Any window table – book well in advance
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Mott 32
It's not uncommon to find yourself dining next to a rock legend or two at Mott 32, the basement restaurant of the Standard Chartered Bank Building. But having a celebrity clientele isn't enough to ensure a restaurant's success in this fickle city: the reason that Mott has remained at the top of the game is all down to the gorgeous Cantonese food. Must-have dishes include the velvety quail egg, pork and black truffle siumai dumplings, roast pork with Yellow Mountain honey, and sautéed string beans with diced wagyu beef.
Contact: 00 852 2885 8688; mott32.com
Opening hours: Daily, 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Central
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ￡￡￡
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New Punjab Club
While Hong Kong has its fair share of fabulous Indian restaurants, thanks to a long-standing South Asian community, until recently it's been rare to find anywhere in an upmarket setting. Then along came the New Punjab Club, with its smart doorman, tongue-in-cheek interiors – carved wooden walls, chesterfield booths, Life of Pi-ish art – and private member's club vibes. Michelin-starred chef Palash Mitra (formerly of Gymkhana in London) oversees the menu, and it all sounds so divine that one can't help but over-order. Don't miss the crisp juicy smashed samosas with tamarind glaze, the aromatic spiced mutton with milk buns and the ooh-ooh-aah tandoor chicken tikka.
Contact: 00 852 2368 1223; newpunjabclub.com
Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Sun, 5pm-10.30pm; Wed-Sat, 5pm-11.30pm
Nearest metro: Central
Reservations: Essential
Price: ￡￡￡
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Tai Cheong Bakery
Egg tarts are part of Hong Kong's cultural heritage, and no visit to the city can be considered complete without eating at least one. You can buy tarts all over the place, but the Tai Cheong Bakery on Lyndhurst Terrace achieved global fame when Chris Patten (the last Governor of Hong Kong) and Helmut Kohl (former Chancellor of Germany) were photographed scoffing one on a walkabout. The takeaway version is still popular, and the bakery is conveniently located for travellers. The flaky tarts are best when they're straight out of the oven, which can be tricky to predict; buy when you see small crowds forming.
Contact: 00 852 8300 8301; taoheung.com
Opening hours: Daily, 8am-8.30pm
Nearest metro: Central
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡
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The Chinese Library
Tai Kwun, the colonial-era Central Police Station complex, has spent the last eight years being rehabilitated into a gorgeous arts and heritage hub. Amid its museums, galleries and courtyards, are a clutch of brilliant new bars and restaurants, including the glamorous Chinese Library, all parquet floors, exposed beams, shuttered windows and jewel tones. The food here is exceptional and designed for sharing. You'll need to order the star dish – apple roasted imperial duck – in advance. Other must-tries include the summery laksa xialongbao and barbecue pork loin glazed with Manuka honey.
Contact: 00 852 2848 3088; chineselibrary.com.hk
Opening hours: Daily, 12pm-2.30pm, 6pm-11pm
Nearest metro: Central
Price: ￡￡￡
Reservations: Recommended
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Café Gray Deluxe at The Upper House
Hotel restaurants in Hong Kong can feel like random attachments to the main building, but Café Gray Deluxe slots in with The Upper House seamlessly. The restaurant is cool and high class in every sense, and the views are fantastic – but definitely not one for the vertiginous. The café is a good place to come for breakfast or lunch but is at its most wonderful over a twinkly dinner. The fusion menu changes with the seasons, and there's also a gluten-free vegan selection, including the likes of smoked eggplant with soy-citrus vinaigrette. Set menus, though expensive (two courses HK $395/￡39, three courses HK $475/￡47), are relatively good value for the quality on offer.
Contact: 00 852 3968 1106; cafegrayhk.com
Opening times: Daily, 6.30am-10.30am, 12pm-2.30pm, 3.30pm-5.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm
Nearest metro: Admiralty
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ￡￡￡
Best table: Window
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Bistronomique
Since the opening of the MTR metro station, Kennedy Town has become the hottest eating quarter in the city; barely a month goes by without a new restaurant opening. Bistronomique was one of the first settlers for Western food and it still remains the neighbourhood favourite. The harbourfront restaurant was opened by local chef David Lai, who trained with Alain Ducasse – hence the French emphasis. The mushroom risotto and seafood are lovely, but it's the rich, simmered meats – Iberico pork and coq au vin – that people come here to relish. The excellent-value set lunches (between HK $108-148/￡11-15) are served until 3pm; evenings are more expensive but very popular.
Contact: 00 852 2818 8266; facebook.com/bistronomiquekennedytown
Opening hours: Daily, 12pm-12am
Nearest metro: Kennedy Town
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡￡
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Uma Nota
Uma Nota's beautiful street mural of a laughing feather- and flower-clad Latina has made it one of Hong Kong's most Instagrammable spots. But it's what's inside that really impresses: hip but homely mid-century interiors, smiling staff and a delightful menu of Japanese-Brazilian street food (S?o Paulo has the highest concentration of Japanese people living outside of Japan). Summery flavours include ceviche goa (fish, squid, shrimp, curry and coconut) and chicken and okra dumpling with chili sauce. The restaurant gets extra points for removing as much single-use plastic as possible and introducing biodegradable chopsticks.
Contact: 00 852 2889 7576, uma-nota.com
Opening hours: Mon-Thur, 6pm-12am; Fri, 6pm-12am; Sat, 12pm-3.30pm, 6pm-12am; Sun, 4pm-12am
Nearest metro: Sheung Wan
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡￡
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Luk Yu Tea House
This atmospheric 1930s tea house, all rosewood furniture, stain glass panels and swirling fans, is spread over three noisy floors in the heart of Central. The aged waiters wear crisp white tunics and are notoriously grumpy – a foible most are willing to forgive when they taste the delectable dim sum and classic Cantonese cuisine. Standout dishes include juicy beef balls with tangerine skin, pillowy fried prawn toast and mini roast duck and chestnut pies.
Contact: 00 852 2523 5464; lukyuteahouse.com
Opening hours: Daily, 7am-9.30pm; dim sum served until 6pm
Nearest metro: Central
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡￡
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Mandarin Grill + Bar at Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong
The Mandarin Oriental, Hong Kong's fine dining restaurant feels like the type of place a modern-day Don and Betty Draper might drop by for a date, with its romantic views over the colonial-era Statue Square. Slide into an oversized booth and order from a menu of classic European dishes, smartly updated under the smooth hand of Robin Zavou, executive chef of the hotel. Think organic oysters fines de claire, grass fed Tasmanian tenderloin with dollops of creamy béarnaise sauce, plus a sustainably sourced Dover sole meunière, filleted on trolleys by the table.
Contact: 00 852 2825 4004; mandarinoriental.com
Opening hours: Daily, 12pm-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10pm
Nearest metro: Central
Reservations: Essential
Prices: ￡￡￡
Best table: Window
Crystal Jade La Mian Xiao Long Bao
This restaurant chain serves affordable Shanghainese food specially tailored to Cantonese (and Western) taste buds, which favour less oily food. The branch in IFC Mall is a convenient place to grab a quick meal if you're around the area. Although the xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and mian (noodles) aren't the absolute best in the city, they are more than satisfying enough to make the queuing worthwhile. None of the branches takes reservations, so get there early.
Contact: 00 852 2295 3811, crystaljade.com
Opening hours: Daily, 11am-11pm
Nearest metro: Hong Kong Station
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡￡
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Kowloon
Din Tai Fung
Though actually owned by a Taiwanese company, Din Tai Fung is where you'll find the most delicious Shanghainese soup dumplings (also known as xiaolongbao) in Hong Kong. There are four branches in Hong Kong and although the Silvercord Shopping Centre location has lost its Michelin star, it's still a stellar bargain. Tables are first come, first served and queues can be daunting, so arrive early or very late. Dumplings are the main attraction but don't miss the dan dan mian (spicy Sichuan noodles with pork in a sesame and peanut sauce).
Contact: 00 852 2730 6928, dintaifung.com.hk
Opening times: Daily, 11.30am-10.30pm
Nearest metro: Tsim Sha Tsui
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡￡
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Islam Food
This family-run, fluorescent-lit, formica-lined restaurant in Kowloon City has been dishing up aromatic Chinese Muslim Uighur dishes for the last half a century. Pull on an elastic waistband, squeeze onto a table with strangers and fill up from its eight-page menu. Choose veal goulash served in glistening patties of flaky pastry, airy cardamon-spiced mutton spring rolls, the cold chicken sesame (don't be put off by the yellow skin, it's buttery and delicious), and beef brisket curry so tender it falls apart between your chopsticks. Islam Food isn't on the usual tourist trail but it's worth hopping a few stops on the MTR to sample its homely – and ridiculously cheap – cuisine.
Contact: 00 852 2382 2822; islamfood.com.hk
Opening hours: Daily, 11am-10.45pm
Nearest metro: Wong Tai Sin
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Price: ￡
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Mido Café
Mido Café is about sampling a flavour of 1950s Hong Kong that’s almost disappeared. Arrive in the late afternoon when the light is most cinematic; head upstairs and sit in a booth under the ceiling fans, next to the green-painted windows overlooking the Tin Hau Temple (the one that lent the famous Temple Street Market its name). The staff will give you an English menu that contains a host of unlikely possibilities, such as Ovaltine and Horlicks – both casual dining staples for Hongkongers. Try the Hong Kong-style French toast (a deep-fried peanut butter toast served with maple syrup) with lemon tea, plus the fried rice, baked pork chop or deep-fried wontons.
Contact: 00 852 2384 6402
Opening hours: Mon, Tue, Thur-Sun, 9am-9pm
Nearest metro: Yau Ma Tei
Reservations: Walk-ins only
Prices: ￡
New Territories
Chuen Kee Seafood
Cheun Kee is one of a dozen seafood restaurants positioned along the charming Sai Kung promenade. It stands out from the crowd with a phenomenal range of fish, shrimps, crabs, clams, lobster, scallops, sea cucumber and a number of unidentifiables. Diners take their pick from the bubbling tanks lined up out front – not for the squeamish. And while it gets extremely busy at the weekends, the garlic-drenched prawns alone are worth waiting for, as is the waterfront buzz. Team your meal with a speedboat ride around the volcanic rock region of the Sai Kung Unesco Global Geopark (about HK 150/￡15).
Contact: 00 852 2792 6938
Opening hours: Daily, 7am-11pm
Nearest bus stop: Sai Kung Public Pier
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ￡￡
Best table: Outside
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Outlying Islands
Lamma Rainbow
Lamma Rainbow isn't the only place to eat along the waterfront on the Sok Kwu Wan side of Lamma Island, but it's pretty much got the tourist trade sewn up, due to its free ferry service. Once you make a booking (very easy, you can do it by phone or online) and step on board, you're efficiently shepherded to and from your meal. Energetic souls can reach the restaurant – or any of the others on the strip – by hiking over from Yung She Wan on the far side of the island. But the ferry ride, sitting on the top deck and zipping between the world's shipping on the South China Sea, is a true Hong Kong thrill. It isn't cheap and you need to be careful of hidden costs such as 'market price' items (crab, lobster etc) that can end up doubling the bill. But in good weather, it's a deliciously fun outing.
Contact: 00 852 2982 8100, lammarainbow.com
Opening hours: Daily, 10am-11pm
Nearest ferry terminal: Sok Kwu Wan Ferry Pier
Reservations: Recommended
Prices: ￡￡
